Mechanical shock performance under operating and non-operating conditions is an important factor in the reliability of a data storage device design. A data storage device, such as a disc drive, should provide a mechanical shock performance capable of withstanding the rigors of manufacturing, shipping, and operation by an end user. Advances in data storage device capacity have led to data storage devices with more sensitive data storage media and read/write heads, as well as more delicate suspensions and lower fly heights during read and write operations. These changes have made designing data storage devices with suitable mechanical shock performance more difficult.
One phenomenon that can result from a mechanical shock to a data storage device is “head-slap.” Head-slap is triggered by a mechanical shock load exceeding a suspension preload, causing a read/write head to lift off the data storage medium. A head-slap event can cause permanent damage to the data storage medium, read/write head, and suspension due to the dynamic impact between the head and the medium when the head springs back towards the disc following the shock event. In addition, a head-slap event can also generate hard particles within the sealed environment of the data storage device, which can further reduce the data storage device's reliability, e.g., when the hard particles crash into sliders or scratch read/write transducers in a read/write head.